About Me

I am a lawyer in Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada who enjoys reading, especially mysteries. Since 2000 I have been writing personal book reviews. This blog includes my reviews, information on and interviews with authors and descriptions of mystery bookstores I have visited. I strive to review all Saskatchewan mysteries. Other Canadian mysteries are listed under the Rest of Canada. As a lawyer I am always interested in legal mysteries. I have a separate page for legal mysteries. Occasionally my reviews of legal mysteries comment on the legal reality of the mystery. You can follow the progression of my favourite authors with up to 15 reviews. Each year I select my favourites in "Bill's Best of ----". As well as current reviews I am posting reviews from 2000 to 2011. Below my most recent couple of posts are the posts of Saskatchewan mysteries I have reviewed alphabetically by author. If you only want a sentence or two description of the book and my recommendation when deciding whether to read the book look at the bold portion of the review. If you would like to email me the link to my email is on the profile page.

Friday, March 11, 2016

Lady Sharon and Mr. Selnes

Earlier
this week the Melfort Public Library held a tea in honour of the Downton Abbey
T.V. series coming to an end. The last show was broadcast in the U.S. and
Canada on Sunday. As a member of the Library Board the staff asked me if I
would be the butler. The results are in the accompanying photo.

Lady
Sharon accompanied me to the tea and is the well dressed and far better looking Lady
with me in the photo.

The tea
was great fun.

It was a
typical rural Saskatchewan event.

You can
see the effort the staff made to set up lovely tables.

Board
members loaned tea cups and silver services. We provided 6 teacups and saucers
and a complete tea service.

Staff and
board members prepared the food.

The staff
wore costumes appropriate to the event and served.

I greeted
the Ladies. There was only one other gentleman.

Once
coats had taken by the staff I escorted ladies to the tables.

I
understand I was a credible butler. While I might have a future as a butler it
will not be in Melfort. Not a butler in the community.

There
were trivia games on tea etiquette and the Downton Abbey series. Sharon and I
tied as winners of the Downton Abbey trivia. I won on a tiebreaker question as
to the cast name for their historic adviser – “The Oracle”. I picked out a
prize of English teas and gave the box to Sharon.

We
enjoyed crustless sandwiches, scones with lemon curd and clotted cream, small
cakes and dainties.

There
were a couple of musical selections from the teenage member of the staff. The
first was the series theme song which actually has words. I had never heard them
We sang along with her on the second song.

Most
guests wore costumes. Sharon’s outfit was actually what she wore to our son’s
wedding last fall. She has been looking for suitable events to wear her hat
again. The tea was the perfect occasion.

More
photos are on the Melfort Public Library Facebook Page.

And the
pricing was rural Saskatchewan. Each of the guests paid $5.00.

I have a group of friends who have been watching each season of the show together. It started at the beginning because a friend in the UK sent me the DVD of the first series before the show aired here - I got this group of girlfriends together on a day when all the men folk were likely to be wanting to watch cricket and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves watching the entire series and eating little sandwiches - so we made it an annual event - each year my UK friend has sent the DVD for my birthday and 'the girls' have gotten together for a day's viewing during the Christmas/New Year holiday - this year we dressed up in honour of the final series and one of my friend's son's took on the role of butler - I'm sure you did a better job than our slightly surly 19 year old - though he got paid for his day :)

You told me this event was upcoming, and I am so glad to read your report and see the photo! What an excellent event that sounds .... and I'm sure if you ever run out of law-work you can take up a new career as a butler.